We live in a country where a black child was placed in handcuffs for bouncing a basketball. In a gym.
This child’s name is Fatayi Jomoh, and he was bouncing a basketball at his local Police Athletic League. Earlier this month, The Root reported on the incident, and while Fatayi was not arrested, the incident grabbed national attention. In an exclusive interview with The Root, 11-year-old Fatayi Jomoh’s mother, Bunmi Borisade, is speaking out.
“[Fatayi] said, I heard somebody say, ‘I know you hear me me boy!’” Borisade continued, “That’s when he turned around and saw an officer coming toward him. And he said when he say that he got scared. He proceeded to run towards me, in the big gym, but [officers] grabbed him in the arm.”
Borisade said that her son was put in handcuffs by an African-American officer. It was clear to her that the officers were intent on making some type of example her son. Bunmi Borisade filed a complaint with the Jacksonville Sheriff’s Office, but has not taken legal action. Ultimately, she believes the culture of criminalizing black and brown children must end.
“Some type of protocol has to be done to where a child is not criminalized in this facility. We were not in the streets. You were not at an outside game on the court somewhere.” Borisade continued, “We were inside of a facility where the officers should not see criminals, but should instead see children.”
See the entire video above.